Eight United players – Jesse Lingard, Tyler Blackett, Reece James, Saidy Janko, Andreas Pereira, Paddy McNair, Tom Thorpe and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson – have graduated from the academy to the first team under Van Gaal, while rookies Marcus Rushford and Sean Goss were named on the bench for the first time yesterday as they defeated Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

Leeds are reluctant to lose Cook but the new contract he signed in the summer only runs until 2017 and the Championship club are aware they could face a battle to hang on to their prize asset.